Lake Chelan-Sawtooth Wilderness
Long, lean, and lovely best describes Lake Chelan. From Chelan's northeastern shore, this secluded Wilderness rears rapidly skyward to the crest of bold Sawtooth Range, which cuts diagonally through the area, rising serenely from the south to fall off dramatically on the north faces. Northeast of the crest, the terrain drops into the valley of the Twisp River only to climb again into a subrange. Wolf Creek and other creek drainages have cut deep ravines through much of the area, with elevations ranging from 1,100 feet to 9,000 feet. You'll find 63 lakes, many too small to have ever been named, often tucked into scenic cirques in the high country and without trail access.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Washington |
| Size | 152,980 acres |
| Designated | 1984, by Congress |
| Center point | 48.32° N, 120.48° W |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 10) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground
The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.
Weather by month
Large units span more than one climate. The station stands in for the center point, and the outer parts of the boundary can be warmer or colder.
Where to camp
None of the 42 federal campgrounds within ten miles sit inside the boundary. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Show 4 moreHide
30 more within ten miles are not listed here.
Trails
46 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 242 miles in all. The 10 longest are listed here.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Summit Trail Wilderness ↗ | 16.1 | |
| Cedar Creek ↗ | 12.9 | |
| Lakeshore (Chelan) ↗ | 12.3 | |
| Wolf Creek ↗ | 11.9 | |
| Fish Creek ↗ | 11.6 | |
| War Creek ↗ | 9.5 | |
| Oval Peak ↗ | 8.9 | |
| Scatter Creek ↗ | 8.1 | |
| Eagle Creek ↗ | 7.8 | |
| West Fork Buttermilk ↗ | 7.7 |
Lengths and allowed uses come from the Forest Service trail layer by way of Trailhead Atlas. This trail list was copied from Trailhead Atlas on November 1, 2026 and is copied again on each weekly run. Trails in plain text have no page there yet.
Fire nearby
- WildfireSisi
16 mi from the center point · 4,816 acres · 40% contained
- WildfireGamma Creek
28 mi from the center point · 29 acres
- PrescribedTon Rx - Mutton Hp
38 mi from the center point · 358 acres
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge, and is measured from the center of a boundary that may be many miles across. Check the agency page for closures.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- 0.8 miLucerne Guard Station ↗Lucerne, WA
- 0.8 miFlick Creek Shelter ↗Stehekin, WA
- 2.6 miSulphide--Frisco Cabin ↗Stehekin, WA
- 3.3 miPurple Point--Stehekin Ranger Station House ↗Stehekin, WA
- 3.3 miGolden West Lodge Historic District ↗Stehekin, WA
- 3.7 miMiller, George, House ↗Stehekin, WA
- 4.4 miEarly Winters Ranger Station Work Center ↗Winthrop, WA
- 4.4 miStehekin School ↗Stehekin, WA
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Guidebooks for Washington
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Lake Chelan-Sawtooth Wilderness?
152,980 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Lake Chelan-Sawtooth Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Lake Chelan-Sawtooth Wilderness in?
Washington.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Lake Chelan-Sawtooth Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1984.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Lake Chelan-Sawtooth Wilderness?
Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities, and the managing agency page has the permit rules. The federal campgrounds within ten miles are listed under Where to camp.
Source: Where to camp
How do I get to Lake Chelan-Sawtooth Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 48.320° N, 120.482° W. North Cascades National Park is 30 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Lake Chelan-Sawtooth Wilderness right now?
3 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Sisi at 16 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Which national parks are near Lake Chelan-Sawtooth Wilderness?
North Cascades National Park (30 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
Are there historic places near Lake Chelan-Sawtooth Wilderness?
The National Register has 16 listings within 15 miles, including Lucerne Guard Station and Flick Creek Shelter.
Source: Register Atlas
Sources
- Boundary, name, acreage, designation year, states and description: Wilderness Connect.
- Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
- Trailheads and sites: the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer, points inside the boundary.
- Trails: the Trailhead Atlas open-data file of Forest Service trails, matched on the wilderness each trail enters.
- Night sky: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS, 2016 composite) sampled at zoom 6 around the center point.
- Weather, alerts, air quality, river flow and earthquakes load live in your browser from NWS, AirNow, USGS and iNaturalist when you open the page.